Japan Hits Russia with New Sanctions

Japan has decided to impose additional sanctions on Russian officials in connection to the situation in Ukraine.

After suspending consultations with Russia over softening visa regimes in March, now the Asian country has decided to ban 23 Russian officials from entering its territory, ITAR-TASS reported. The list of names will be made public later.

The sanctions are thought to be coordinated with the other G-7 member states. On Monday the United States announced a new set of sanctions against members of President Vladimir Putin's inner circle. The European Union followed suit shortly after.

Japan has generally been less outspoken about sanctions against Russia, however it has made its support for Ukraine's territorial integrity clear. Tokyo also announced it is preparing a stabilization financial aid of USD 1.1 M for Ukraine.